Eunice Achieng, a single mother of two adult children, has spent nearly five years working as a matatu tout on Nairobi CBD routes. Recently, she attended her daughter’s graduation ceremony — a moment she describes as deeply satisfying after years of struggle in the city’s informal sector.
Her daughter is now set to join college.
“For me, that day meant everything,” Eunice says. “It showed that all the hard work was not for nothing.”
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From Restaurant Work to the Streets of Nairobi
Eunice moved to Nairobi several years ago in search of employment. Like many low-income earners, her first job was in the service industry.
“I worked as a waiter in a small restaurant for about five years,” she recalls. “But the salary was very small, and you had to wait until the end of the month.”
With rent, food, and school needs to meet, Eunice knew the income was not sustainable.
“If you want to survive Nairobi, sometimes you must change direction,” she says.
Life in Kayole: Struggling to Get By
Eunice lives in Kayole, Eastlands, a densely populated area that houses tens of thousands of Nairobi residents. The estate attracts low-income earners who depend largely on informal jobs to survive.
“In life, you have to struggle to make ends meet,” she says.
For many families in Kayole, daily income determines whether there will be food on the table.
Why She Joined the Matatu Industry
Eunice says she joined the matatu business after closely observing how matatu crews worked.
“I was not introduced by anyone,” she explains. “I just noticed they earned money daily.”
Unlike restaurant work, where wages are paid monthly, the matatu industry offers daily earnings, something that appealed to her as a single mother.
“As a parent, emergencies don’t wait. I needed money every day.”
How Much Does a Matatu Tout Earn?
According to Eunice, a matatu tout can earn between KSh 800 and KSh 1,000 per day, depending on passenger flow.
“But it is not guaranteed,” she notes. “Some days are good, others are not.”
The matatu industry remains one of Nairobi’s biggest employers, directly and indirectly supporting hundreds of thousands of households across the city.
Daily Challenges on the Road
Despite the income, the job comes with constant challenges.
“Arrests and bribes are part of daily life for matatu operators,” Eunice says.
She points to frequent harassment by traffic police and city council enforcement officers, commonly known as kanjos.
“Sometimes you are not even wrong, but you still have to pay,” she says.
A City That Depends on Matatus
Nairobi is the largest city in East Africa and heavily depends on public transport to function.
Available transport data shows:
- Major bus corridors carry between 10,000 and 33,500 passengers daily
- Combined matatu routes handle over 100,000 passengers every day
- Matatus account for more than 60% of daily public transport trips in Nairobi
Without matatus, the city’s economy would slow down significantly.
“You Just Have to Take Something Home”
Despite the hardships, Eunice says she has learned to live with the realities of the job.
“You just have to take something home,” she says. “It is the job I chose.”
For her, the reward is not the money alone, but the outcome.
“When I saw my daughter graduate, I knew it was worth it.”
One Story Among Many
Eunice’s story reflects the lives of thousands of Nairobi residents who depend on the informal sector to survive. It is a reminder that behind the noise, chaos, and traffic of the matatu industry are real people working daily to build a future for their families.
